Telecommunications giant MTN Group has started the construction of headquarters for its MTN Côte d’Ivoire operations.

The group is also starting a local trial of fifth-generation (5G) services in Abidjan.

The announcements followed the conclusion of the Côte d’Ivoire-South Africa Business Forum, in which MTN participated, with a foundation stone-laying ceremony held at a site at the Akwaba Business Park in Port Bouët.

The groundbreaking was attended by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who was in the country as part of a State visit to various West African countries, and Ivorian Prime Minister Patrick Achi, both lauding MTN’s pan-African strategy and the group’s contribution to Côte d’Ivoire in the past 16 years.

MTN has operated in the country since 2005.

“The construction of this head office is indicative of MTN’s long-term commitment to Côte d’Ivoire,” said MTN Group chairperson Mcebisi Jonas, who led the MTN delegation alongside group president and CEO Ralph Mupita.

“Our strategic intent is to provide leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress, and our presence here today illustrates the importance of MTN Côte d’Ivoire to the group’s overall portfolio,” Mupita added.

He was accompanied in Abidjan by an MTN Group team including West and Central Africa VP Ebenezer Asante, who launched the 5G trial, and group executive for corporate affairs and sustainability Nompilo Morafo.

During the visit, the MTN delegation met with various stakeholders, including the Minister of Communications Roger Adom.

Côte d’Ivoire is the second country the MTN Group delegation is visiting on Ramaphosa’s tour of West Africa, which started in Nigeria.

MTN Group owns 58.8% of MTN Côte d’Ivoire, which is one of three mobile operators in the country, with a market share of around 35%.

At the end of June 2021, it had 13.7-million subscribers, of whom 4.9-million were active data users. The operations also had 4.8-million active Mobile Money subscribers.